Electric switch



F. F. DORSEY ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 24, 1924 11mm 511mm:

Patented Jul. 4; 1927.

qUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FABNUIIF. DORSEY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO NORTH EASTELECTRIC COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed September 24, 1924. Serial No. 739,726.

One object of this invention is to produce a sim 1e and inexpensive buteflicient switch, in W ich the contact-members are so arranged that nocurrent passes through the springs by which the contact-members are heldin engagement with eachother. other object of the invention is toproduce a switch in which several circuits may be opened and closedsimultaneously by the same contact-member. A third object of theinvention is to provide a snap action in the switch without complicatedor expensive devices for this purpose.

Other objects of the invention, and the features of construction andarrangement by which these various objects are attained, will. be setforth hereinafter in the description of the illustrated embodiment ofthe invention.

In the accompanying drawin s Fig. 1 is a side-elevation of a switchembodying the present invention, shown. partially in section on the line11 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional frontelevation of the switch, on theline 2-2 in Fig. 1, looking toward the rear. Fig. 3 is a rear-elevationof the switch, and Fig. his a sectional detail-view on the line 4.-4 inFig. 3.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in aswitch suitable for use ona motor vehicle to control the lighting circuits and the ignitioncircuit. The switch comprises a cylindrical sheet-metal housing 5, tothe front of which is attached a face-plate 6 so that the switch may bemounted flush in the instrument-board of a vehicle in the usual manner.The lighting circuits are con.- trolled by a lever 7 at the front of theswitch, while the ignition circuit is controlled through a lock operatedby a removable key 8.

The rear-end of the housing 5 is closed by a disc 9 of insulatingmaterial, which constitutes a base for the fixed contact-members. Thefixed contact-members by which the lighting circuits are controlledcomprise a series of plates 10, 11 and 12 arranged eonrentrieally.Between these contact-plates are two plates 13 which are dead, that isto say, they are not connected with any circuits, but serve merely asresting points for the movable contact-member when the circuits are allopen. The movable contactmember is in the form of a sheet-metal late orarm 14, of a generally triangular orxn,

which is perforated at one corner to pivot loosely upon a stud 15 fixedat the center of the fixed cmduct-members. The contact-arm 14 swingsaround the pivot-stud 15, and is provided with two fingers 16 whichco-operate with the fixed contacts and the dead plates 13. Thecontact-plates and the dead plates are fixed to the base by means ofrivets, and the heads of these rivets, as shown particularly in Fig. 1,are of aconvex rounded form. The fingers 16 are of such width thattheyrest between the two rivets on the contact-plates with which theyare engaged, while the lateraledges of the fingers are slightlyu'p-turned or beveled, so that they may ride over the heads of therivets when the switch is moved.

The switch-lever 7 is provided with a stem 17, which is journaled,coaxially with the contact arm 14, in front and rear bearings provided,respectively, in the front of the switch and in a bearing-plate 18mounted within the housing. At the inner end of the stem an arm 19 isfixed, and this arm carries a rearwardly projecting pin 20 surrounded bya coiled spring 21. Upon the front of the contact-arm 14 is fixed apiece of sheet insulating material 22, which is perforated to receivethe rear end of the pin 20', and the contact-member is also perforatedto receive the pin. As shown in Fig. 1, the pin engages only the edge ofthe insulating material, and does not contact with the metal of thecontact-arm.

The spring 21 presses against the insulator 22, and since its point ofengagement therewith is intermediate the pivot 15 and the fingers 16, itacts to press the arm rearwardly at these three points. The pivotstud 15may be utilized as a terminal of the switch, preferably connected to thebatteryor other source of current, and thus the current will beconducted from this point through the arm to the two contact-plates withwhich it is in engagement. As shown in the drawings, the fingers 16 restagainst the .dead plates and the circuits are open. If the lever 7 bemoved to the right, however, the fingers 16.will first ride up over therivet-heads, this movement being permitted byaslight compression of thespring 21. They will then snap into position between the rivet-heads onthe contact-plates 10 and 11, thus closin the two circuits which may beconnected with these plates.

hen the lever T is moved to the left. a also as the base-members of thebinding similar action occurs, the circuits controlled by the plate. 11and 12 being closed in this case.

The ignition switch operates in a substantially similar manner, thoughas shown it controls only one circuit. It comprises two co'ncentricallyarranged plates 23 and 2d, the plate 23 being dead while the plateQd isadapted to be connected with the ignition circuit. The movablecontact-member 25 is in the form of an arm loosely pivoted on the stud15. An insulator 26 is mounted between flanges 27 on the contact-arm.The extremity of the arm is formed as a contactlinger 28 similar to thefingers 16 on the member 14. A lock 29 of ordinary form is fixed betweenthe plate 18 and the front of the switch, and the barrel of the lock isprovided, at its inner-end, with an arm 80 carrying a rearwardlyprojecting pin 31. A coiled spring 32 surrounds this pin, and the pinand the spring engage the insulator 26 so as to press and move thecontact-arm 25 without conductive engagement therewith.

The switch base 9 is tixed in place upon two screw-threaded studs 33,which are lixed in the front of the switch and extend rearwardlytherefrom. These studs also pass through the plate 18, and the severalparts are suitably spaced by means of bushings 3t and 36, while they aretixed in place by nuts 35 threaded on the studs. A third stud 37 at thetop or" the switch is used to hold the plate 1'8 in place. Owing to thepresence of the contact-members at the top of the switch'this studcannot be extended through the base 9, but the latter is held in place,at the top, by means of an inwardly pressed lug 38 on the housing, whichengages a bevelled notch in the edge of the base. In assembling theswitch the upper ed e of the base may first be put in place behind thelug 38, and the lower part of the base may then be engaged with thestuds and secured thereon.

In order that the pivot-stud may be used as a terminal it is providedwith a bindingpost 39 at the back of the base. The contactp'late 2% isalso connected with a bindingport 40 by means of rivets passing throughthe base.

A feature of the invention resides in the formation of thecontact-plates l0, l1 and "i as inte ral parts at the binding-posts bywhich i are connected with their re- 31 'T H 1 J11. )tt'lHtf ncuns..-.-c tins end each 01 these t i b l rearwardly bent en- .u v. .r

t tntoagn an opening w l v c s- 2. e ii and .ided with oindinga wirethereto. By A is and connections in tie are avoided at thes electriccircuit points. and the construction 15 simplified and cheapenett sincethe contact-plates serve posts.

It will be apparent that the elements of the switch just described arefew and inexpensive in number, and that they may be readily assembled. 4

In all parts of the swit'ch'the current passes only throughrigidcontactnnemhers, while at the same time the tirm engagement ofthese members is assured by the use of springs, and the engagingsurfaces are wide and are kept clean by their sliding movement over eachother. The initial resistance to movement due to the rounded rivet-headscauses the movements of the switch to occur rapidly, with a snap, thusminii'nizing arcing between the members.

The invention claimed is:

1. A switch comprising: a base of insulating materal'; a centralcontact-member and a concentric series of contact-plates mounted on saidbase; a contact-arm loosely pivoted upon the central contact-member andhaving two engaging portions formed to rest simultaneously on two of thecon tact-plates; and means tor swinging the contact-arm about itspivotal support and for simultaneously pressing it toward the base at apoint intermediate its three points of contact.

2. A switch comprising: a baseot insu-- lating material; a centralcontact-member and a concentric series of contact-plates mounted on saidbase; a contact-arm in the form of a plate loosely pivoted on thecentral contact-member and having two fingers adapted to restsimultaneously on two of the contact-plates and to span an intermediateplate; a manually operable member arranged to turn on an axis normal tothe base; and means projecting from the manually operable member andconnected mechanically with, but insulated from, the con tact-arm at apoint intermediate its three contact-points, said means including aspring to press the swinging contact-arm toward the base.

8. A switch comprising: a base; a central contact-member and a series ofconcentric contact-members mounted on the base; a contact-arm looselypivoted, at one extremity, on the central contact-member and adapted, atanother extremity, to engage one or another c1- said contact-plates; aninsulator the contact-arm between said e mities; and manually operablemeans-en ing said insulator and adapted to swing contact-arm thereby,and simultaneously to press against the insulator so as to maintain thecontactnrm in engagement with the fixed contacts.

switch comprising": a base; central contact-nember and series ofconcentric contact-n mbers thereon; a contact-arm loosely voted on thecentral contactqnem ill) lier, at one point, and adapted at anotherpoint to engage with the concentric contactinen'lbers; a manuallyoperable member arranged to turn on an axis substantially nor.- mal tothe base and provided with an eccentrieally mounted pin projectingtoward the contact arm; an insulator fixed on the contact-arm andperforated to receive said pin; and a spring coiled around said pin 10and pressing against the insulator.

5. A switch comprising: a base; contactplates mounted thereon; rivetssecuring the plates to the base and having convex heads pro ectingbeyond the surfaces of the plates;

at spring-pressed contact-finger arranged to 5 FARNUM F. DORSEY.

